Top Reformed Church official visits Staten Island

Rabbi Gerald Sussman, left, Board President of Project Hospitality greets the General Secretary of the Reformed Church in America, Rev. Dr. Tom DeVries, during a tour of El Centro del Inmigrante in Port Richmond. In the photo, right, Rev. DeVries visits the supply room with Project Hospitality volunteer Ray Herrera during a tour of the Hurricane Sandy Evacuation Center at Bayley Seton Hospital in Clifton.Advance File Photo

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Rev. Dr. Tom De Vries, the general secretary of the Reformed Church in America, visited Staten Island on Nov. 16 and toured storm-battered South Beach, Midland Beach, New Dorp Beach and Oakwood Beach.

The highest ranking leader in the denomination also visited the evacuation centers at Bayley Seton Hospital in Clifton, Mount Manresa Jesuit Retreat Center in Fort Wadsworth and El Centro Del Inmigrante in Port Richmond. Rabbi Gerald Sussman of Temple Emanu-El, president of the board of Project Hospitality, accompanied Rev. De Vries on the tour of El Centro.

Rev. De Vries took stock of a supply room and spoke with families at the evacuation centers and heard their stories, reports the Rev. Terry Troia of the Reformed Church in America and executive director of Project Hospitality.

“I remember him speaking through a Russian interpreter to an 87-year-old Russian displaced man who wanted to go to a Shabbet service to thank God that he had survived Sandy,” Rev. Troia said.

She added that the denomination purchased $5,000 in goods, including cleaning supplies that were distributed in the disaster areas, and towels and clothing that were dropped off at the evacuation centers.